Latch-key-holding device for belt buckles and similar articles



Sept. 14 1926. 1,599,920

J. A. PRYOR LATCH KEY HOLDING DEVICE FOR BELT BUCKLES AND SIMILAR ARTICLES Y Filed April 10, 1925 INVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 14, 1926.

UNITED STATES JOHN A. PRYOR, OF AVON-BY-TI-IE-SEA, NEW JERSEY.

LATCH-KEY-HOLDING- DEVICE FOR BELT BUCKLES AND SIMILAR ARTICLES.

Applimtion filed April 10, 1925.

This invention relates, generally, to a novel device in combination with a belt buckle or similar article of wear for conveniently supporting and carrying a door latch-key.

The invention has for its principal object to rovide a means for carrying a door latch-key, so that the same is always conveniently at hand for use, without necessity for searching out the key from among others, and whereby the user may always uickly and easily obtain the proper key or use, even in the dark; and to this end the invention provides a novel key holding or carrying attachment in combination with an article of wear such as a belt buckle.

The invention also provides in connection with the novel combined key holding or carrying attachment and belt buckle or the like, a novel construction of key adapted to interlock itself with the holding or carrying attachment when it is inserted therein, so that the same is not likely to be accident'ly displaced and lost from said holding or carrying attachment.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will 'be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is afragmentary perspective view of a belt and buckle operatively adjusted to the person of the wearer, said.

buckle being provided with the novel key holding and carrying attachment, and said View illustrating the wearer in the act of removing the key from the latter foruse.

Figure 2 is a top edge view of a belt buckle equipped with the novel .key holding and carrying attachment; Figure 3 is a rear face view of the same, showing the key in serted in .the holding and carrying attachment and interlocked therewith against accidental displacement; Figure 4 is a similar rear face view, showing the key in released position ready for withdrawal from the holding and carrying attachment; and Figure 5 is a similar rear face view, showin the released key withdrawn from the holding and carrying attachment.

Figure 6 is a detail vertical cross section, taken on line 66 in Figure 3; and Figure is a longitudinal section, taken on line in Figure 3. 9

Similar characters of reference are em:

Serial No. 22,240.

ployed in all of the hereinabove described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to said drawings, the reference character 1 indicates the outer face plate of a plate buckle of the pivoted vclamp action type, such as is commonly worn in connection with mens belts. Buckles of this type are usually provided with a back plate 2, or equivalent structure, which is spacedrearwardly from the rear or inner face of said face plate 1, and joined to the latter by longitudinal side members 3. The back plate 2 is usually cut away at its .central portion intermediate the ends, as indicated by the reference character 1, and the end portions of the face plate 1, usually extend beyond the ends of said back plate 2. Pivotally connected with one transverse end of said back plate 2, so as to be located adjacent to one end of the face plate 1, is a swinging clamp 'jaw 5, which is provided with an actuating lever in the form of an outwardly extending loop 6 tea which one end of a belt 7 is coupled or fixed. Said clamp jaw, when actuated by a pull on the lever loop 6, operates to grip the free end of the belt so as to clamp the same against the back of the face plate 1, when said free end is inserted between the latter and said clamp jaw 5, and suitably adjusted to engage and tighten the belt around the waist of the wearer.

The novel means for holding and carrying a latch key is'located at the rear or inher side of the buckle so as to be supported for vertical extension between the side members 3, with its inner surface spaced outwardly from the rear face of the faceplate 1 to provide an intermediate passage 8 for the belt end; and its outer surface, preferably, substantially flush with the back plate '2 of the buckle.

Said key holding and carrying attachment comprises a tubular carrier member consisting of an inner wall 9, an outer wall 10' and side walls 11, which together form an internal receiving socket or pocket 12 of rectangular cross sectional shape, the internal dimensions of which correspond substantially to the external dimensions of the key body to be received and carried therein. The respective ends of said inner wall 9 are suitably secured to the respective side members 3 so as to extend therebetween.

The reference haracter indicates the key body, of the lock type, which is serted within the latter.

provided at its outer end portion with the oppositely and laterally extending stopshoulders 14 common to such keys. Instead of having an integral finger-piece, such as is usually provided in connection with such keys, the key-body 13 is provided above said stop-shoulders 14 with a. transverse hinge connection 15 for pivotally connecting a finger-piece 16 with the key body in such manner that the same may be folded or turned downwardly over the latter.

The outer wall 10 and side walls 11 of the carrying attachment are cut away at their upper ends, whereby the same are of less length than the inner wall 9, thus providing an open space intermediatev the receiving socket or pocket 12 and the upper side member 3 of the buckle body to receive the stop shoulders 14 and hinge connections 15 of the key body, whereby, when the key-body is inserted in the carrying attachment, its movement thereinto will be limitedby the engagement of said stop shoulders 14 with the upper ends of the side walls 11, with the i hinge connection 15 positioned substantially flush with the upper side member 3. The outer wall 10 is provided with a transverse cutaway portion or slot 17 so disposed as to receive the upper bar 16 of the finger piece 7 16 when the latter is folded downwardly across the inserted key body 13, thus permitting the finger piece 16 to fold as flatly as possible into the plane of the back plate 2 of the buckle body. If desired, the opposite transverse ed es of said slot 17 may be formed to provice lips 18 between which said upper bar 16 of the finger piece 16 may be engaged when the latter is disposed in the above described folded position.

The upper side member 3 and the adjacent portions of the back-plate 2 are cut away to permit the down-folding of the fin ger piece 16 of the inserted key body 13, but in such manner that keeper-shoulders 19, of a shape to conform to the shape of the finger piece, are provided, beneath which keeper-shoulders 19 the lower portions of said finger piece are engaged and stopped against outward or upward lineal movement, thus interlocking the inserted key against accidental displacement or removal from the carrying attachment so long'as the finger piece 16 remains in folded relation to the key body.

It is also desirable, although I do not deem always essential, to provide for a frictional gripping of the key body 13 by the carrying attachment when the former is in This may be provided for by providing in the outer wall 10 of the carrying attachment a pair of laterally spaced apart longitudinal slots or slits 20 to define an intermediate yieldable' gripping section 21 which is inwardly pressed or bulged so as to frictionally engage one side of theinserted key body 13 and yield ingly press the same so that its opposite side frictionally engages the inner wall 9 of the carrying attachment.

In order to assure against any obstruction being offered by the carrying attachment to the operative entrance of the free end of the buckle into and through the belt passage 8 intermediate the face plate 1 and back plate 2 with the associated carrying attachment,

thus being disposed to guide the inserted belt end to pass beneath the carrying attachment, and thence onward beneath and past the clamp jaw mechanism of the buckle body. 1

From the above description of the construction of key holding and carrying means for belt buckles and similar articles, it will be quite evident that the same provides a very convenient means for carrying a latch key such, for example, as a residence entrance key, so that the same is conveniently segregated from other keys necessary to be carried by the user, thereby eliminating any necessity for searching out and separating the latch-key from others, a task which is frequently annoying andtime consuming especially at night in the absence of light to aid in the recognition of the key. The novel holder for the key in combination with the belt buckle provides a novel and exclusive means for retaining the key about the users person so that the same is conven iently and quickly accessible for use at all necessary times, and, furthermore, the novel construction of key and holder or carrying means is such, that it does not mar the neat and ornamental appearance of the buckle, but is concealed so that the usual appearance and operation of the buckle is in no way interfered with. mentioned advantages, the arrangement is such that the key is securely held and interlocked against accidental displacement and possible consequent loss.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the general arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts comprising this invention, as well as in the details of the construction of the same, without departing from the scope thereof as de scribed in the foregoing specification and as defined in the appended claims. Hence, I do not limit this invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the devices and parts as set forth in the foregoing speci= In addition to the above i fication, nor do I confine myself to the eXact details of the construction of said parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

I claim 1. The combination with a buckle body of a tubular holding means, a latch-key adapted to be removably inserted in said holding means, sa d latch-key having a finger piece movable to fold down upon the body of said key, and means to engage said finger piece when in folded position to retain said key against accidental longitudinal displacement from said holding means.

2. The combination with a plate buckle having a face plate, sides and back plate, of a tubular holding means extending from side to side of said buckle but spaced rearwardly from said face plate with its outer wall substantially flush to the plane of said back plate, said tubular holding means being adapted to receive and removably sup-* port a latclrkey, and the outer wall of said holding means having a resilient portion to frictionally engage the inserted key.

3. The combination with a plate buckle having a face plate, sides and back plate, of atubular holding means extending from side to side of said buckle but spaced rearwardly from said face plate with its outer wall substantially flush to the plane of said back plate, said tubular holding means being adapted to receive and removably support a latch-key, means for retaining said key against accidental displacement from said holding means, and a belt end guide means extending from the plane of said back plate to the plane of the inner wall of said holding means.

f. The combination with a plate buckle having a face plate and sides of a tubular holding means extending from side to side of said buckle but spaced rearwardly from said face plate, a latch-key having a finger piece inovably to fold down upon the body of said key, the outer wall of said holding means being cut away to permit the finger piece to be folded down flatly upon the body of the inserted key, and one side of said buckle having stop shoulders beneath which the folded finger piece is engaged to restrain the inserted key against accidental displacement from said holding means.

5. The combination with a plate buckle having a face plate and sides of a tubular holding means extending from side to side of said buckle but spaced rearwardly from said face plate, a latch-key having a finger piece movable to fold down upon the bod of said key, the outer wall of said holding means being cut away to provide a transverse slot to receive the loop of said finger piece when the same is folded down upon the body of the inserted key, and the margins of said slot being provided with out-turned lips to embrace said loop of the folded finger piece.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of April 1925.

JOHN A. PRYOR. 

